Passengers carrying luggages walk in snow outside a railway station in Hefei, capital of East China's Anhui province, Jan 31, 2016. Railway transportation witnessed a travel peak as the Spring Festival draws near. [Photo/Xinhua]

Hiring A "boyfriend" for the Spring Festival holiday is proving a lucrative business for some dating agencies. Some agencies in Henan province, Central China, are charging up to 10,000 yuan ($1,519) for introducing and matching a seven-day "boyfriend" with a young woman looking to convince her parents that she has a prospective husband. Scol.com.cn says:

Whether it is "renting girlfriends" or "boyfriends", it has been popular with some young people at this time of year.

However, there have been incidences in previous years, where some girls have been cheated, as despite spending time and energy pretending to be someone's girlfriend, some did not get the money they were promised. Of even more concern, some women have been beaten, raped or murdered. Some young women have taken their complaints to court but it seems there is still no further protection for them. At this point, money cannot heal the damage.

Of course, sometimes men or women going back home for the holiday feel they have no other choice, knowing they face constant pressure from their parents and relatives wanting to know when they are going to get married and have children.

But renting girlfriends or boyfriends is not a good idea, as it is a practice that will only hurt parents when they discover they have been deceived and is also potentially dangerous. Why not tell the truth?